Arizona Diamondbacks infielder Ketel Marte was left in tears during Tuesday night’s game at Rate Field in Chicago after a fan reportedly shouted a cruel remark about his mother, who died in a tragic car accident in 2017.
The emotional moment unfolded in the seventh inning, just hours after Marte had launched a solo home run in the first. Cameras caught the star visibly shaken on the field as manager Torey Lovullo and shortstop Geraldo Perdomo comforted him.
Sending love to Ketel Marte who was in tears on the field after a fan yelled something at him about his mother, who passed away in a car accident in 2017, per @CDrottar19 pic.twitter.com/I14Zc1gkV1
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) June 25, 2025
While early speculation suggested Marte was reacting to a teammate’s injury, multiple baseball reporters, including MLB’s Casey Drottar and Francys Romero, later confirmed that Lovullo revealed a fan had made an insensitive comment about Marte’s mother, Elpidia Valdez. MLB insider Mike Rodriguez also backed the report through sources.
It’s still unknown whether the heckler was rooting for the White Sox or the Diamondbacks, but the individual was reportedly ejected from the game. Marte, a longtime fan favorite in Arizona known for his character on and off the field, was visibly overwhelmed.
In a bittersweet coincidence, Marte had also been in Chicago back in 2017 when he left the team to return to the Dominican Republic after his mother’s fatal accident.
Fans have since taken to social media to express support for Marte, with some organizing a tribute asking Diamondbacks supporters to wear pink—the color associated with his late mother—during this weekend’s home series against the Miami Marlins at Chase Field in Phoenix.
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That “fan” should be banned for life from all sports.